champions league draws

hello guys,

i play only a season with top teams because i wait for the january transfer window update.i try some tactics,i try to play dominant counter games etc.but no matter which team i pick i always get the hardest draws including groups and advanced rounds.i mean im not expecting to win every year(i havent won it yet).i finish the group 1st real madrid bayern etc. finishes 2nd and i get them,when i finish 2nd i get them.im not complaining about advancing for the next round but everytime i see porto benfica olympiakos shaktar teams like that and i get real madrid.ive been playing with bayern lately and i was in a groupd bayern,napoli,man city,anderlecht(thankful to 4th seed),napoli finished 1st,i came 2nd.1st seeded teams were;atletico,porto,benfica,barcelona madrid,psg,juventus.i was expecting porto or benfica but i got atletico.i reached the quarter final and opponents were;real,porto,benfica,barca,juve,olimpiakos,psg i got barca.and now in semi final i know this time odds are much closer but still expecting for an easy challenge;real madrid,juve,benfica i said "hey this time at least not real" and boom i got real.is this a coincidence or you made the game for us to play tough,struggling games to have fun more?

Complete coincidence.

hello guys,

i play only a season with top teams because i wait for the january transfer window update.i try some tactics,i try to play dominant counter games etc.but no matter which team i pick i always get the hardest draws including groups and advanced rounds.i mean im not expecting to win every year(i havent won it yet).i finish the group 1st real madrid bayern etc. finishes 2nd and i get them,when i finish 2nd i get them.im not complaining about advancing for the next round but everytime i see porto benfica olympiakos shaktar teams like that and i get real madrid.ive been playing with bayern lately and i was in a groupd bayern,napoli,man city,anderlecht(thankful to 4th seed),napoli finished 1st,i came 2nd.1st seeded teams were;atletico,porto,benfica,barcelona madrid,psg,juventus.i was expecting porto or benfica but i got atletico.i reached the quarter final and opponents were;real,porto,benfica,barca,juve,olimpiakos,psg i got barca.and now in semi final i know this time odds are much closer but still expecting for an easy challenge;real madrid,juve,benfica i said "hey this time at least not real" and boom i got real.is this a coincidence or you made the game for us to play tough,struggling games to have fun more?

You're Bayern. There shouldn't be such a thing as a hard draw really. Plus, to get the "hardest" draw every time, you'd need to draw the team with the highest coefficient in each pot every single year. Is that happening?

Rhetorical question, as it's already been answered. It's coincidence.

You're Bayern. There shouldn't be such a thing as a hard draw really. Plus, to get the "hardest" draw every time, you'd need to draw the team with the highest coefficient in each pot every single year. Is that happening?

Rhetorical question, as it's already been answered. It's coincidence.

would you rather benfica porto or madrid , barca? there is no easy away game against them.thats what i wanted to say.

would you rather benfica porto or madrid , barca? there is no easy away game against them.thats what i wanted to say.

You're unlikely ever to get Madrid or Barca as Bayern in the group stages unless any one of the sides has taken a massive dive in the coefficient. They're all firmly entrenched in pot 1. If you are drawing them, then who has dropped out of interest? If it's one of the opposition, then is it that hard a draw? Has that team regressed? Are you just looking at the name and saying it's a bad draw?

Benfica or Porto...both of them should be well beaten by most pot 1 teams.

To counter this, in FM14 I took PSV to the semi-finals of the Champion's League in the first season after the kindest draw I could ever imagine. I forget the specifics now, but it was something like Olympiakos and Porto in the first knockout round and the quarters. I lost a close match to Atletico Madrid in the semi finals, so it could easily have been a final. It was complete luck. The next season, I was out in the Quarters after drawing Bayern. Stuff happens.

ive just started with juventus this time and my group draw is chelsea,juve,dortmund,monaco.its just annoying...

ive just started with juventus this time and my group draw is chelsea,juve,dortmund,monaco.its just annoying...

How does that even happen? I thought Dortmund would have a higher coefficient than Juventus, and at least on par with Chelsea.

Dortmund are 11th ranked in Europe currently, so if it is first season we're talking about, they'd be pot 2 in 10th (taking Man Utd's spot). Chelsea would be pot 1, Juventus pot 3, Monaco pot 4. If it's the first season.

Actually, why are you complaining about that kind of draw with Juventus? You're in the 3rd pot, you can hardly expect an easy draw just because you're a big name. If you really want to play "how hard was my draw", then you could have got either Real, Barcelona or Bayern who would all be arguably tougher draws than Chelsea. Granted Dortmund are the 2nd highest ranked side in pot 2, but would you rather have them than a tough trip to the Ukraine for Shakhtar? Or PSG, or Man City? Possibly.

Bottom line, if that's the first season, then I really don't see what the problem is. Not that there was ever a problem anyway.

i didnt type teams in order to their seeds.

dear forameuss;

group A: barca,sporting,basel,prague (i could be here)

group B: chelsea,dortmund,monaco,juve

group C: benfica,zenit,olimpiakos,roma (i could be here before roma they were 4th seed)

group D: bayern,ajax,city,stromgodset

group E: porto,leverkusen,liverpool,salzburg (europa league group)

group F: madrid,shaktar,napoli,tel aviv (instead of napoli)

group G: atletico,schalke,cska,anderlecht (another europa league)

group H: arsenal,psg,galatasaray,ludogorets

as you can see,anything but group B would be easy to advance in group D city came from 3rd seed and i could be there instead,it would be easier but no everytime i get the thoughest group.hunt3r said it was a complete coincidence but its just annoying.ive played with barca,real madrid,bayern,juve as the teams i choose advancing from groups is not that hard but my question was not about advancing.why do i get these picks everytime.

Galatasaray and Ajax have got tough draws there too. I can't believe you're moaning about getting a hard draw. Man City get a nightmare draw every year in the Champs League in real life. And when they do finally get out the group, they get drawn to play Barca.

Last night online with a friend I'm Real Madrid and got drawn Shakhtar, Liverpool and Roma, probably one of the worst draws I could get, he drew Porto, Basel and Olympiakos. Its all about the luck of the draw. FM doesn't know who are the human teams and who the AI teams are so its completely random, there is never a conspiracy. Besides its the Champions League, you have to face these teams eventually, why complain that you face them in the group stage where it might be easier to get past them.

you are all talking a bunch of nonsense... it is obvious that the game is after the guy and doesn't allow him a normal draw that he deserves.

Heaven forbid looking at the Champion's League as the opportunity to test yourself against the best in Europe...

Had a fewer stinker groups myself down the years, seems quite often I would get three tough teams, probably just in my head as you remember the Barcelona, Dortmund, PSG, Napoli groups longer than Barcelona, Porto, Olympiakos, Zilina.

I'm not complaining about the group draw because that is structured through the co-efficient.

But I do honestly think that fm 2015 is biased towards difficult draws.

With Lazio for the last four years I have won the group every season and in the first knock-out round I have drawn;

Real Madrid

PSG

Bayern Munich

PSG

And PSG are by far the strongest team in my game play now. They are stacked with really good Brazilian players.

Guess it's pretty good though cos making the Champs League extra difficult keeps the game interesting.

I'm not complaining about the group draw because that is structured through the co-efficient.

But I do honestly think that fm 2015 is biased towards difficult draws.

With Lazio for the last four years I have won the group every season and in the first knock-out round I have drawn;

Real Madrid

PSG

Bayern Munich

PSG

And PSG are by far the strongest team in my game play now. They are stacked with really good Brazilian players.

Guess it's pretty good though cos making the Champs League extra difficult keeps the game interesting.

Yeah...PSG were so strong that they managed to not win their group. Twice.

There is no bias. At the very most, you have a choice of six sides to draw. If there are any sides in that six in your own country, then you can't draw them. Tough draws happen.

Yeah...PSG were so strong that they managed to not win their group. Twice.

There is no bias. At the very most, you have a choice of six sides to draw. If there are any sides in that six in your own country, then you can't draw them. Tough draws happen.

Theoretically it's seven, right? If you win your group, then you can draw any of seven second-placed sides from the other groups, provided they're not from your own country. Or am I missing something here?

Anyway, I was also thinking the same thing, if PSG are by far the strongest team, how did they manage to finish second in their own CL group? Did they happen to draw tough groups both seasons? For that matter, is it also possible rich1990's Lazio team managed relatively easy CL groups?

I just can't imagine what SI would have to gain by introducing any "bias" into cup draws. It just seems very pointless.

I just can't imagine what SI would have to gain by introducing any "bias" into cup draws. It just seems very pointless.

Theoretically it's seven, right? If you win your group, then you can draw any of seven second-placed sides from the other groups, provided they're not from your own country. Or am I missing something here?

Anyway, I was also thinking the same thing, if PSG are by far the strongest team, how did they manage to finish second in their own CL group? Did they happen to draw tough groups both seasons? For that matter, is it also possible rich1990's Lazio team managed relatively easy CL groups?

I just can't imagine what SI would have to gain by introducing any "bias" into cup draws. It just seems very pointless.

You're right, it is 7. Just the 2nd placed side from your own group that you can't draw, I was counting some mystery team for some reason

Maybe the problem is that the game doesn't seem to follow that the best team will win their games in the group stages.

Although PSG have come second in their group a few times, they have won the tournament 4 times in the last 8 years.

And to be honest, I can breeze past teams in the group stages far too easily (eg. One season I beat Man Utd 5-0 and 3-1 in the group stages and recently I beat Bayern 7-1) but then the Champions League seems to only get serious in the knockout stages. The same season I twice beat them easily in the group stages Man Utd beat me on away goals in the Semi Finals.

So I guess if the best teams don't always win their groups then the chances of a difficult draw will be higher.

I have no complaints about the Champions League being difficult as I have already said, I think that it keeps the game interesting when in other competitions your team is dominant.

Swings and roundabouts really. Got to the CL final against Barca with my Milan team one year by having a really easy group and knockout rounds. The only decent side I played against was Man City in the quarters who were 7th in the epl at the time. The semi final was Juve who we have never lost against in my time as manager.

The next season? First knockout round we lost to Bayern, who somehow managed to fluff their group phase. They went on to win the CL that year.

I'd rather have a hard group to qualify from, cos atleast you know you have earned your spot if you have qualified fromt he group, and then atleast you wont get any that other qualified club from your group in the first knock out stage, nor clubs from your country league.

To counter this, in FM14 I took PSV to the semi-finals of the Champion's League in the first season after the kindest draw I could ever imagine. I forget the specifics now, but it was something like Olympiakos and Porto in the first knockout round and the quarters. I lost a close match to Atletico Madrid in the semi finals, so it could easily have been a final. It was complete luck. The next season, I was out in the Quarters after drawing Bayern. Stuff happens.

Same, as Man Utd in my second season i got to the final by playing Benfica, Anderlecht and then Dynamo Kiev. Unfortunately it was Real Madrid in the final and they beat my young side convincingly.

i was coming on to make a different observation, not whether anyone ever gets an easy draw, but whether anyone is ever told they have an easy draw.

every season the game tells me i have a tough draw. sometimes it is and sometimes it isn't, but the game always tells me it is. my celtic team are pretty damn good in practit maybe its a league coefficients thing.

in 2019 I've just been drawn as 2nd seed, with juventus, benefice and olympiakos, and I'm pretty confident with that, but the game tells me its a tough draw as it always does.

i was coming on to make a different observation, not whether anyone ever gets an easy draw, but whether anyone is ever told they have an easy draw.

every season the game tells me i have a tough draw. sometimes it is and sometimes it isn't, but the game always tells me it is. my celtic team are pretty damn good in practit maybe its a league coefficients thing.

in 2019 I've just been drawn as 2nd seed, with juventus, benefice and olympiakos, and I'm pretty confident with that, but the game tells me its a tough draw as it always does.

It will be rep based primarily I imagine. Or perhaps Benfica and Olympiakos are high up in their respective pots, so can be considered a tougher draw than some sides you could get. Obviously it's 2019 in a completely different world, but I'd say that looks a tough draw on paper with trips to Turin and Piraeus.

I've been told I've had an easy draw, but not in the Champions League, more in international tournaments. If I'm top seeds, usually they just dispense with judging the quality of the draw and just outline the teams. Maybe they're just taking the "there's no easy draw" adage a bit too literally.

I've played as Bari in 2038. The last 2 years, I've gained Champions League Qualifying due to The Clubs ahead of me in Series A being Bankrupt. I've finished 5th 3 seasons in a row, last 2 seasons have been given Champions League. I have been in the Playin Playoffs. I have drawn the Top Two Teams in the game for those games. Arsenal and PSG. Why would the absolute top teams in game need to play in the Play in Playoffs?

Needless to say I lost horribly to both.........even though my team is good enough for EuroCup Quarter or Semi Finals.

I've played as Bari in 2038. The last 2 years, I've gained Champions League Qualifying due to The Clubs ahead of me in Series A being Bankrupt. I've finished 5th 3 seasons in a row, last 2 seasons have been given Champions League. I have been in the Playin Playoffs. I have drawn the Top Two Teams in the game for those games. Arsenal and PSG. Why would the absolute top teams in game need to play in the Play in Playoffs?

Needless to say I lost horribly to both.........even though my team is good enough for EuroCup Quarter or Semi Finals.

Pretty simple - because those teams finished in a position that meant they had to qualify from there. Someone's got to draw them, this time it was you.

Pretty simple - because those teams finished in a position that meant they had to qualify from there. Someone's got to draw them, this time it was you.

You are correct both team finished outside of the Top Three in their league in those years. Like myself.

I've played as Bari in 2038. The last 2 years, I've gained Champions League Qualifying due to The Clubs ahead of me in Series A being Bankrupt. I've finished 5th 3 seasons in a row, last 2 seasons have been given Champions League. I have been in the Playin Playoffs. I have drawn the Top Two Teams in the game for those games. Arsenal and PSG. Why would the absolute top teams in game need to play in the Play in Playoffs?

Needless to say I lost horribly to both.........even though my team is good enough for EuroCup Quarter or Semi Finals.

Keep in mind also that there are two qualification streams in the Champions League. You're entering via the non-champions (also known as the league) route. In the playoff round there are ten such teams, and what's more, five are seeded and five are unseeded. I suspect you're unseeded, so you've only got five teams to possibly draw, all of which are likely to be pretty good. This year, for example, the seeded teams were Arsenal, Porto, Zenit, Leverkusen, and Napoli. Meanwhile the unseeded teams were Bilbao, Lille, Copenhagen, Standard Liege, and Besiktas. At least four of the five seeded teams are pretty good teams, and even Zenit would be tough if you had to get a result on the road. So you almost can't avoid facing a great team in the playoff round unless you (and your league) are good enough to be seeded.

I was playing in Series A and the league was ranked 3rd in the world. Behind BPL and Ligue1. I was probably unseeded due to my getting in because of others bankruptcy.